RED HAND GANG29 November 2006 / Night & Day / Manchester :: The Blood Arm :: Pull Tiger Tail ::
The room erupts into a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’, a cake is then delivered on stage and I half expect a stripper to jump out

REVVED UP30 November 2006 / The Castle / Oldham :: The Second Floor :: Jonny Brown Shoes :: The Naughtys ::
After a successful stint alongside Terry Christian at GMR, Conrad continues championing the unsigned at ace local radio station The Revolution

LEXICON OF LOVE29 November 2006 / Academy 1 / Manchester :: Aberfeldy :: Paolo Nutini ::
Just because something happened two years ago, it doesn’t mean that it’s not captivating and worthy of attention right here, right now

WIND IN THE WILLOWS30 November 2006 / Academy 3 / Manchester :: Tycoons Follies :: Juno Ashes :: The People Involved ::
Just one thing though - singers: do not burp near the mic when introducing a song. Ever.

WARP SPEED24 November 2006 / The Warehouse Project / Manchester :: Autechre :: LFO :: Massonix ::
The chance to check out a couple of big hitters from the superb Warp label takes me back to the Warehouse Project for just the 2nd time, curious and expecting a late one.

INSTRUMENTAL24 November 2006 / The Arena / Manchester :: Tool ::
Who would have thought, a few years ago, that Tool would be filling somewhere as large as the Arena?

DIFF'RENT STROKES25 November 2006 / Academy 3 / Manchester :: Albert Hammond, Jr. :: The Pierces ::
The reception given to Albert Hammond Jr as he cheerfully strides into view, must have made him think that he is flanked by Casablancas and co

DOUBLE VISION24 November 2006 / The Castle / Oldham :: The Amber Club :: doublejoHngrey ::
Doublejo(h)ngrey are unpleasant in the best possible way

BEHIND THE VEILS21 November 2006 / The Roadhouse / Manchester :: The Veils :: New Rhodes ::
Somewhere in Bristol New Rhodes set out to challenge the city's trip-hop hegemony with their sparkling brand of indie pop

SULTANA-PUDDING EYES14 November 2006 / Academy 1 / Manchester :: Ben Kweller :: Josh Pyke ::
Kweller brings the New York summers with their humid, lazy days sleeping away the city in sunbleached parks and their booting of soccer balls with scruffy friends

SOMEBODY TOLD ME20 November 2006 / Apollo / Manchester :: The Killers :: Brakes ::
Every single voice in the place is shouting along to "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" - regardless of the fact that it still doesn't actually appear to mean anything

REDEMPTION - AS IF IT'S NEEDED17 November 2006 / The Roadhouse / Manchester :: The Nightjars :: Fear Of Music ::
Forget blah blah blah! This is just a full-on dirty rock'n'roll set

ORANGE COUNTY05 November 2006 / Night & Day / Manchester :: Two Gallants ::
“Thanks”, nods Adam, looking wounded and withdrawn, so affected is he by their own harsh power and red blaze. “We have to leave now.”

MADE TO MEASURE01 November 2006 / Club Academy (Academy 4) / Manchester :: Metric :: Hadouken ::
....much more than fortunate scenesters with friends in currently cool places

THE DAY AFTER01 November 2006 / Night & Day / Manchester :: Napoleon IIIrd :: The Star Fighter Pilot ::
Two masters of wayward electronic pop face the toughest challenge of all - a gig in Manchester the night after In The City's finished.

ALL NIGHT INDIE WAREHOUSE PARTY02 November 2006 / The Warehouse Project / Manchester :: Brakes :: The Long Blondes :: The Longcut ::
Continual references to "the workers" on the big screens are more than slightly at odds with the knowledge that not too many months ago a large number of workers lost their jobs here. Still, The Longcut play a new tune and it's brilliant. But very cold.

NEVER MIND THE FIREWORKS05 November 2006 / Apollo / Manchester :: Motorhead ::
“We are Motorhead and we play rock’n’roll!” announces Lemmy, as he probably does at every gig, then it’s all systems go.